Page 51 of Soul Food

“Don’t shush me! Tell me what I’ve missed.” She gave me the stink eye with a side smile. Only Jayne could make that a thing.

“Nothing.” I looked out the window with a sigh. “I touch myself while he does nothing.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Nothing?”

“Nothing.” I confirmed.

Now those same eyes widened before she nodded. “This is to be expected. Amit didn’t take over Black Hearts without some sort of strong will.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I grumbled, dropping my head in defeat.

“Seduce him. Over the phone is different. Temptation is still very real but less than what it would be if you came onto him in person.” This was Jayne giving me advice. The same woman that blushed like a virgin and dashed out the door around my new friends.

“I don’t think taking advice from the one that refuses to go with me to the studio anymore because of her blushing like crazy is going to help me.”

She shook her head and groaned. “I can’t help what my skin does, okay?”

I smirked at her, then faced forward once more so I could frown without her seeing. My reality was sad. “I can’t seduce him—at least not in person.”

“Why?” She scrunched her nose up as she changed the speed on her treadmill. “Ruth, believe me, Amit is way, way into you if he’s FaceTiming you every night and watching you masturbate.”

“That’s not the only issue.”

She studied me then released a wail. “Please, don’t start that nonsense about you being cursed.”

“Then let’s change the subject,” I replied evenly, working on easing my breathing. We’d been running on the treadmills for a while now.

She frowned. “I worry about you sometimes. You take this Dark Goddess thing way too seriously.”

“Can we not talk about this?” I asked her. “I only wanted to tell you about Amit because I want that steely expression of his to finally crack.”

For me.

She winked. “He’ll cave in eventually and when he does, no Dark Goddess is going to keep him from getting his hands on you.”

She didn’t know the demon.

“By the way, D.D. Cosmetics wants to meet and talk with you about a contract they hope you’d be interested in. I think they want you to be their new face.”

“I can’t.” I shook my head.

She shut off her treadmill. “All right. What’s going on? You’re not doing anything, and you used to do everything until you got home from this last tour. Is something wrong? This is your friend speaking. You’re a workaholic, and it makes me feel better that you’re working on songwriting at least—”

“That’s all it is, Jayne,” I interrupted before she went on. “I want to concentrate on the songs speaking to me as well as Ma. Nothing’s wrong.”

She studied me closely before she smiled. “I’m sorry. I should know more than anyone how much you need a break from the celebrity life.” She stepped off her treadmill and bent down to grab her water next to my gym bag. “Oh my god,” she squeaked as she eyed the book resting underneath my bag. “I swear to God, Ruth, I never see you carry that thing in anywhere when we go places, but somehow see it later. No matter where or when, it’s close by somewhere.How?I know for a fact you didn’t bring it with you.”

“Don’t touch it.” She knew not to, but I always said it, anyway.

She did a full body shudder next to me. “Don’t worry. That thing is creepy looking, and I remember how you freaked out the first time I tried to grab it. Thought I lost my job when I just got it.”

“I’m sorry, it’s personal.” There was nothing I could say to explain to her why she couldn’t touch it. I could only apologize.

“Yeah, you know how nosy I am, but even I won’t push on that thing. You get that crazy desperate look in your eyes every time someone gets near it.” She pointed toward it.

I blew out a breath. “Thanks.” I turned my treadmill off. “Are you ready?”

She wasn’t paying attention to me as I grabbed the bag and the book from the floor. When I raised up, she nudged my shoulder. “Look who’s here.”

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